The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-12-27
THE PLACE OF oHRIsrs BIRTH.
Remarks Of Mrs. Or. 8. F. Wells Before
the Calvary Church Sunday-School.


Remarks Of Mrs. DR.. 8. r. Wells Before
the Calvary Church Sunday-school
The children Of Calvary church Sunday
school were addressed by Mrs. DR.. s. +.
Wells, during the progress Of their Christ.
mas entertainment on Sunday last. The
lady chose for her subject Palestine"
where Christ was bonn, and spoke Tor sew
eral minutes. A synopsis OF her remarks
Is as follows:
"0f all the lands which ! have visited in
company with my husband, DR.. Wells,
who is present, In our travels among fifty
nations, and q tour Of the world, none
furnish to me subjects so full Of interest
and so sacred TO memory as Palestine. II
was here that the worlds redeemer was
born. 1t was over the hill country Of
| Judea that the angelic host broke the still
ness Of the night rs the anthem rang out:
Glory TO God in the highest. Peace on
earth. Good win 10 men,
"History's pages furnish us with exam
| pies OF grand and noble characters, whose
| lives are worthy Of our profound respect
and admiration; but the life OF Christ en-
bodies the virtues OF all others, is infinitely
more grand, more glorious, more sublime.
The skcptic may doubt, the scofier may
scott ut the doctrine Of the divinity OF
Christ, yet they may search the annals OF
history in vain TO find the name OF anyone
whose life and teaching have gained 80
many converts and influenced 30 many
lives as those Of Christ.
"The Gospel message has been borne
from land to land, isle 10 isle, and sea TO
sea. In China, Burmah, India and Egypt
multitudes have lett their idols and nc
cepted Christas their true and only Savior.
Even little children are lisping the name
Of Jesus.
$40 know Christ is the highest attain
ment in human knowledge.
sin speaking on my travels in Palestine,
my object is to make real the life OF Christ,
that We may not regard him merely as q
figure in history, but II living, personal
Savior who dwelt upon earth as we do our
selves, and who took upon himself all the
conditions Of our physical life that he
might become tho accepted Redeemer OF
fallen man and mediator with the Father.
"first he appears in the humblepositi0
Of the babe Of Bethlehem. Upon this
phase OF his life ! need not dwell at pres
ent, rs il is the subject OF your study dur
ing the Christmas festivities. But | may
attempt TO picture 10 you, as now appears
TO my memory, somc Of the scencs.which |
witnessed at Bethlehem ut the time Of our
visit 10 the Holy Land. Bethlehem IL sit
uatcd upon n hill which oyerlooks u beau
uful valley, fruitful with corn, vines, olive
and fg trees. The town Is inclosed by a
wall. The houses arc built OF gray stone
and rise upon tho hillside tier upon tier.
Its streets are long, narrow and winding.
The population OF Bethlehem Is estimated
at about 1000. The most interesting Of all
the places at Bethlehem is the church OF
the Nativity. This IL said 10 cover the
place where Jesus was born. Connected
with this church are three converts the
Latin, Greek and Armenian. The birth
place OF Jesus was fixed by Justin Martyr,
almost l,SO0 ycars ago, and was confirmed
by Euscbius at u later date. The place
was n cave. or grotto, forming "a stable,
over which a basilics or church was erect
cd A. u. $50 by orlor Of the Empress
Helena, mother Of Constantine, the first
Roman Emperor converted TO christianity.
II IL the oldest christian church in the
world. The building Is 100 feet long and
40 feet wide. The ceiling is supportcdby
beams Of cedar from the forests OF
Lebanon. II has a nave and two aislcs
and lorty-cight Corinthian columns, ar-
ranged in four rows ol twelve columns.
These columns are two and onc-half feet
in diameter and nineteen feet high. Some
suppose that they were taken IRON the
porchc. of the teufplc al solomon. a.
THE monk FROM he latin convent, where
we stopped, gave ~ a long wax candle.
lighted, and led the way 20 the place OF the
...a...s.. IA.ua.nItNV ItAan NfaU.a aud
going through a hong passage, we entered
the crypt called the chapel OF the nativity.
The room il iurty feet long from east TO
west, Is twelve feet vide and ten feet high.
The floor and walls are Of beautiful white
marble. The place Is lighted by thirty-two
golden lamps, presents from princes OF dit.
icrvnt lands. On one side oi the crypt, be.
fore an altar, there IL placed in the floor
a silver star, around which are the words,
Here Jesus Christ was born Ut the Virgin
Mary This star J. suid Ia mark the spot
Whcrp the star of Bethlehem stood still "a
show the wise men the birth place Of
Jesus. In q recess In the rock Il "A bloch
!, Of marble, followed uut 10 represent th,
Manager. the original wooden one bcinI
nov in the basilica VI Santa Maria Mag
D giofc, at Rome.
"Arund the crypt 81 the nativity ar
: numerous chapcls dedicated in memory o
the principal events which have tnnspie,
: at Bethlrhcm."
Mns. Wells, after speaking in an inter
n csiing manner OF the Holy Scpulchor, Cal
v vary and other plans ut Jerusalem an
{ NunL eth, showed a luttlc Of water whicl
she brought from tho Jonlan river, an,
v said IN conclusion:
at IL not only for YOU, asS~unday-schoo
scholars, tO know Of the land where Jcsu
Il dwclt, Of the Ldinclr be wrought, Of TN
4 prcccpis he gave. oi ms suffering aud dealt
y upon the cross at Calvary as the world
n r,dccmcr. but Tor yuu TO know that he
your Savior, too. ills over waichlul ~
Il ever upon you. H. SHOWS your thought
and wopls, your prayers and hymns q
= praise. let me imp g upon your mind
lc The important truth. Youth i the time :
~ begin 10 serve the lnrl and 90 follow hi
y example. Then when the age Of manhoo
y aud ~womanhood IL attained you can b,
come ftandard-bcary IN the army q III
Lnrl and honorcd an useful members {
society. Al last whyu YOU come 10 III
end OF iic's journey, YOU will receive III
crown Of glory p0mis,d 10 all who lo'
n the Lord"